October 2023
Case
HBS Case Collection

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: A Curriculum Provider Puts Itself on the Hook for Student Outcomes

By: John J-H Kim, Derek C. M. van Bever, Michael Norris and Max Hancock

Format:Print
| Language:English
| Pages:29

Abstract

Jack Lynch, CEO of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) since 2017, was leading the company’s transformation from a legacy textbook publisher to a digital-first student outcomes provider, which earned subscription revenue from digital products and curriculum. In 2023, HMH acquired NWEA, a leading educational assessment company. Lynch was thrilled to add NWEA’s industry-standard tools for measuring student progress to his company’s product offering – but aware of the fact that HMH’s new business strategy was untested. Would students, educators, and district administrators sign on to Lynch’s vision for the future of U.S. education?

Keywords

Edtech; Textbook; Publishing; Leading Change; Change Management; Transformation; Digital Transformation; Publishing Industry; United States

Citation

Kim, John J-H, Derek C. M. van Bever, Michael Norris, and Max Hancock. "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: A Curriculum Provider Puts Itself on the Hook for Student Outcomes." Harvard Business School Case 324-011, October 2023.